


All Together Now

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Midnight Verse [26]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-06-24
Packaged: 2017-12-15 23:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/855309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The back drop is Cybertron, as our forces move into place for the battle of their species</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Together Now

"My lord, the outer sensors have detected transports coming into system."

"Energy buildup suggests that the space bridge is due to activate shortly."

Shockwave took those incoming data points and felt a flicker within his processor. He was secure in his rule of Cybertron, as Megatron was unwilling to let go of the volatile, organic-infested world he had landed on. Why, then, was he already preparing a contingency strategy against his leader?

+Initialize construct:agency+

The command came from under his logic banks, and shorted out the firewall effortlessly.

When he looked at the banks of monitors in his control room again, Shockwave was certain his plans were sound.

"Prepare to defend Cybertron from the invaders. Do not be deceived by their appearances; the Earth-bound Decepticons have failed to prove their ability to vanquish the organics. Our former allies are now our enemies and it is only mercy to relieve them of their enslaved condition."

The announcement went out to all of Cybertron from Shockwave's control room. Every Decepticon, drone, and those few alien mercenaries on planet would follow the order loyally. Shockwave's programming had ensured that over the lengthy separation of their ranks.

`~`~`~`~`

The first indication that things had gone horribly askew wasn't the fighting retreat from the space bridge destination. It hadn't even been the fact that they'd had to rely heavily on Skywarp's teleportation abilities to get away from the pursuit.

It had been that Starscream had not ridiculed Megatron over the poor showing in the battle. The former gladiator and the one-time Wing-Lord of Vos looked at each other even as both Thrust and Thundercracker donated energon to the dangerously depleted teleporter. Skywarp would recover, but he needed energy and rest while their leaders decided on the next course.

"The transports will not land at the primary coordinates; Thrust got one clear send through to his trine," Starscream told Megatron. "That shorts us on supplies for now."

"They saw us coming, and treated it as an active threat," Megatron commented, musing on the implications of that.

"Shockwave has had too long to entrench himself," Starscream continued, almost directly in vein with Megatron's own thoughts. "My suggestion is one that few might care for."

"Slag," Thrust commented, and was ignored, from his place beside Skywarp.

"The Undercity has many ways in and around places we wish to evade, and our few trips here have seemed to indicate that Shockwave has never made it very far into that realm," Starscream commented idly. "Until we know where the transports will arrive, I suggest using that."

"No one survives the Undercity!" Sixshot snapped. "Try saying something sensible, Seeker!"

Megatron, however, knew better, as he knew stories behind both the Combaticons' origins and Starscream's own... explorations.

"I know an entrance near here," Starscream crooned, half-smile of challenge on his face-plates as he focused solely on Megatron.

Megatron nodded -- drawing a rasp of protest from Sixshot -- at Starscream's words. "Lead, then, Starscream. It is a better option than remaining exposed to further attack." 

"Thrust, assist Thundercracker," Starscream said... without any nasty overtones, and Thrust nodded. This was no time for internecine squabbling, and they all knew it. With care to where they were lifting, Thundercracker and Thrust got the dazed and worn-out mech up between them, leaving one arm free on each for firing on the run.

"I think this is suicidal, but I'll stick until the Undercity shows its fangs," Sixshot growled, shifting to his winged wolf mode to follow the others.

`~`~`~`~`

Elita One had been surprised by the transports that had landed in one of the rad zones, beyond the reaches of Shockwave's armies. They had only managed to track the progress because they were working from Beta Moon, with a better view of those rusting plains.

Further surprise came none too long after that, though, when Chromia leaned into her office with an announcement that Sky Lynx was inbound with a full complement of crew.

"Then let us see what news Optimus has sent us from Earth this time," Elita told her second, going to the covert landing bay.

`~`~`~`~`

Midnight slipped off Sky Lynx, startled by just how much like the Ark the landing bay looked. 

She'd thought Cybertron would be _different_ , even if they were 'just' on one of the moons. 

Elita One was just stepping through an opened hatch, and she watched, curious, as -- Ultra Magnus, not Kup -- walked forward to clasp forearms with her, quick and light. 

"How are things on Cybertron, Elita?" 

"Confusing," Elita One replied, her helm shaking from side to side. "I admit, I'm hoping you can clarify matters on the surface for us. Greetings, everyone. It's good to see you." 

"Our official envoy has the briefing for you," Ultra Magnus said with faint amusement rippling through his fields as he indicated the youngest Autobot. "But yes, it should help."

"Optimus sends his regards," Kup told the femme leader. "And all of us as reserve troops for what the scraplet has to tell you," he added, optics glinting playfully in Midnight's direction.

"Not a scraplet anymore, I should think," Elita One reproved, though she was amused too; next to Kup, they were all younglings. "Greetings, Midnight. It has been a long time since I saw you last."

"Hi, Elita," Midnight said, walking across the distance between the two of them to hold her own hands out in greeting. "I'm glad to see you again. It's been a wild few months on Earth. I can give you all the detail I know," //Well, that I'm willing to talk about,// "but the point at the moment is that the Decepticons -- starting with _Starscream_ , of all mechs -- figured out that they had a nano-virus slagging their processors, and they're royally torqued off about it. 

"Discovering it was affecting every mech that had come down on the Ark or Nemesis -- and not the Decepticons who stayed here on Cybertron -- was, apparently, enough to make Megatron decide that a truce for the moment while he deals with the problem here is in his best interest." She snorted. "We don't know how long that's going to last, but it's what we have for the moment." 

"So those landings were Megatron's forces... and he suspects the problem is on Cybertron?" Elita One asked. "I cannot think of any of the warlords left that might take such a gamble; it is something worthy of Jhiaxus, perhaps, but he's long since dealt with... as you well know, Magnus."

"Not a warlord behind it, from all they shared with us," Springer told her. "This goes to the top."

"But... Shockwave has supported Megatron the longest!" Elita One protested.

Kup shrugged one shoulder -- a faint creak in it -- as he looked at Elita One. "Maybe he's just been playing at it. Maybe there's something slagged in his processor. Either way, that's the information Prime got from the Slag-Maker, that they're certain it came from Shockwave." 

//They're here already... oh, Thundercracker, _stay whole!_ // the thought flashed through her processor unbidden, and Midnight had to focus away from it. "Prime sent us to lend you extra frames to put against this mess. With the Decepticons in civil war, well... Megatron assured him that his forces would hold to the truce with us, but there's still Shockwave and his, and we all know how much he wants to bring you down." 

"The extra personnel will be welcome." Elita One looked slightly dismayed at the news she had been told, for her life had fallen into a solid pattern. She led a raid, Shockwave retaliated, and then the femmes chose a new base. That Shockwave never brought enough force to bear had led Elita One to believe that perhaps her nemesis knew the futility of wiping out all ideas contrary to the Decepticon philosophy, but now... he wasn't the mech she had believed him to be. "All of you, we have space in the base. Sky Lynx, do you prefer to stay here or in the transport quarters? Path Finder often stays in the bay, but Skyfire prefers the quarters."

"I'd rather stay here, for fast getaways," Lynx answered all around her.

"Paranoid," Hot Rod said.

"Practical," Arcee retorted, neither of them meaning to be overheard.

"Perceptive," Sky Lynx said, his tone amused, and Hot Rod's silver faceplates turned red as his main frame-shade. 

`~`~`~`~`


End file.
